Spampinato Wins 2025 District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial on Home Course; Becomes Ninth to Win Back-to-Back RDGA Titles
- CLICK HERE for the results from the 2025 RDGA District Championship
- CLICK HERE for a photo gallery of the Championship
- CLICK HERE for a photo gallery of the trophy presentation
- CLICK HERE for a video of the 2025 RDGA Hall of Fame Induction
By DAVE EATON
VICTOR, NY – Although Aiden Spampinato began the third and final round of the 2025 RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial two shots out of first place, he had two things going for him that day: he was playing on his home course – Cobblestone Creek Country Club – AND he was paired with good friend Philip Minnehan, whom, he said, helped keep him steady and focused throughout the final day of play.
By the end of that final round, those factors – as well as one of the best final round performances in District Championship history – propelled Spampinato to a 10-under-par, 206 total over three rounds to finish one shot better than the rest of the field and earn his second consecutive RDGA Championship title – becoming just the ninth player in the 95-year history of the Championship to do so.
Going into the final round of the RDGA District Championship on Saturday, August 2, Spampinato, despite being the defending champion, looked like the second or third option in a four or five-player race to the finish line. Ahead of him that morning was Christian Chapman, another past District champion and a former pro, having recently restored his amateur status – and Kyle Downey, a past New York State Amateur champion and Monroe Invitational playoff finalist.
With Chapman and Downey holding a tenuous two shot lead following Friday’s second round – and Spampinato being tied with another strong contender in Jeff March for third place – Saturday’s final round at Cobblestone was shaping up to be a shootout between four of the RDGA’s top guns.
Early Birdies Set The Pace
Playing in the next-to-last group on Saturday with his good friend Minnehan – winner of the 2025 RDGA Match Play Championship earlier this year – Spampinato set a blistering early pace with five birdies on the front side to make the turn at 5-under-par 31. Downey and Chapman, meanwhile, could only manage to tread water, at best, with front side totals of 36 and 37, respectively, giving Spampinato a three-shot lead with nine holes left to play.
Adding a bit of drama to the stretch run on Saturday was the fact that the course’s two par-5 holes on the back side – Nos. 16 and 18 – were shortened in Round 3 to entice those players with a shot at the lead to go for the green in two in an attempt at birdie…or eagle. In the end, all three of the top contenders would take the bait.
Being the first to play through the back nine, Spampinato continued his birdie binge, with two more (and one bogey) by the time he reached the uphill, 477-yard, par-5 16th. Adding a birdie there, Spampinato was able to maintain a narrow lead – despite the best efforts of his followers in the final group.
Following a bogey on No. 12, Downey managed to birdie the next four holes – including the 16th – to pull within 2 shots of Spampinato. Meanwhile, Chapman was creating a bit of magic of his own on the back side – just as Spampinato had done on the front. Following a bogey on No. 10, Chapman began putting together a string of birdies on No. 13, 14, 15 and 16. Another birdie at 17 brought him to within 2 of Spampinato.
Championship Decided on the Final Hole
By the time they reached the tee of the downhill, 514-yard, par-5 18th hole, what Downey and Chapman did not know was that Spampinato had bogeyed the 17th hole ahead of them. They were both now only one shot behind as they all played the final hole of the Championship.
Up ahead on 18, Spampinato closed out his round with a mid-length birdie putt to finish at 10-under-par (and a two-shot lead) for the Championship. That meant that both Downey and Chapman would have to not only go for the green in two at 18 – but also hole out for eagle, if they were to have a chance at forcing a playoff with Spampinato.
First Downey, then Chapman, each completed the first part of that goal, reaching the green in two. Both were about equal distances from the hole, but from opposite sides. Up first, Downey putted for his eagle attempt – coming up just short. Chapman’s eagle attempt came next, but it, too, missed the mark. Although both holed out for birdies, Spampinato came away with his second consecutive RDGA District Championship title.
Runners-Up Have Ups and Downs
For Chapman, playing in his first John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial since he won the 2022 Championship – with two seasons as an aspiring Tour professional in between – this was a welcome return to the amateur pool in which he grew up as a player. It has been a successful year to date, having also included victory in the Country Club of Rochester Invitation in June.
For Downey – who is not without several triumphs to his name, including the 2023 New York State Men’s Amateur – the second-place finish at Cobblestone was likely considered a disappointment, as he is still looking for his first RDGA District title, even though he had put together back-to-back rounds of 67 and 68 on Friday and Saturday and come within one eagle putt of forcing a playoff
Spampinato Completes Rare Back-to-Back Title Run
The victory by Spampinato – coming on his home course – gives him one of the rare distinctions among RDGA Champions of winning the title in consecutive years, something which not even RDGA Hall of Famers and multi-year District Champions Jim Scorse and John Kircher were able to do. The last time this feat was accomplished was 2016, when Trevor Sluman won the title for the third year in a row.
For Spampinato – who becomes the first RDGA Champion to get his name engraved on the newly-christened John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial trophy – winning the Championship came down to being comfortable and confident enough in his surroundings, including his home course, to play to the fullest extent of his abilities.
“I’m really happy to win this Championship again, obviously,” Spampinato said. It’s always such a fun one for me and my friends – to be able to stay local and play on a really nice course every year and play some really competitive golf.”
And of course, he was also happy to have been able to play alongside his good friend Phil Minnehan – even though they were both competing for the same title.
“I also want to thank my buddy Phil, who rode along with me, for keeping everything super light out there,” he said, “I really appreciated him today – it was awesome.”
Championship Notes from Cobblestone Creek:
HALL OF FAME: A growing annual tradition at the RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial is the event that opens the week at the host club: the fourth annual RDGA Hall of Fame Induction Celebration, which was held on Tuesday evening, July 29, at Cobblestone. This year, a sold-out room welcomed the honorees joining the RDGA Hall of Fame including: longtime local golf administrator and women’s amateur golf advocate Kitty Colliflower; Rochester native and successful PGA Tour golfer Terry Diehl; career PGA Professional and longtime Penfield Country Club head pro, Denny Ferstler; top local amateur and winner of the 1967 RDGA District Championship, Dr. James Infantino; and the Wegman Family, whose leadership and philanthropic efforts for more than 40 years helped advance women’s professional golf in Rochester. It was a memorable evening for all – CLICK HERE to watch the ceremony!
THE HOST WITH THE MOST: Cobblestone Creek proved to be an outstanding host for this year’s RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial. Along with providing pristine, top-shelf playing conditions on a true championship golf course, the club also provided several contenders for the top prize. From among the record SEVENTEEN Cobblestone members who entered the Championship on Thursday, NINE were still in the competition following Friday’s cut to the low 40 players and ties. From among that number, SIX finished in the top-10, with Spampinato in the lead, followed by Chapman, Jeremy Summerson, Colin Barber, Brody Burgess and Philip Minnehan.
SUPER SENIOR: Each year, for the past four seasons, the RDGA has recognized the top 55-and-above player in the District Championship field with the RDGA Championship Low Senior Medal. This year, that honor went to Ken Ogden of Oak Hill Country Club. Ogden posted scores of 75, 78 and 74 to finish at 227 for the Championship and a tie for 25th place. Ogden obviously likes Cobblestone – the last time an RDGA major championship was held there was the 2021 RDGA Wilson Fitch Senior Championship…won by Ogden.
A GENTLEMAN AMONG GENTLEMEN: Another annual tradition at the RDGA District Championship each year is the presentation of the John Henry Ryan Gentleman in Golf Award – presented to the local golfer, tournament official or volunteer who best personifies the qualities espoused by late John Ryan Sr., father of Championship namesake, John H. Ryan Jr. First presented at the 2016 RDGA District Championship, past winners of this honor have included: Ben Caruso, Mike Urzetta, Mark Battle, Ken Seibold, Jim Scorse, Jerry Stahl, Wilson Fitch, Jack Fox, Jim Mrva and Mike Sorce. Voted on by the registered participants in each year’s RDGA District Championship, the 2025 John Henry Ryan Gentleman in Golf Award was presented to WADE SARKIS of Canandaigua Country Club.
TROPHY TIME!: This year’s post-tournament awards ceremony at Cobblestone included one NEW tradition – the presentation of the new RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial trophy. This new trophy – commissioned by the RDGA from the UK-based trophy design firm, Swatkins – replaces the previous trophy, which had been in active use since 1982 – the year Championship namesake John H. Ryan Jr. won his second consecutive RDGA District Championship. THAT trophy replaced the ORIGINAL RDGA District Championship trophy that had been presented to Championship winners since the event’s inception in 1930. ALL THREE trophies were on display during the post-championship awards presentation on Saturday, August 2.
This article was written by RDGA Communications Director Dave Eaton
All photos are credited to RDGA Intern Ella Savoca
CLICK HERE for the final results of the
2025 RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial
The RDGA would like to thank Cobblestone Creek Country Club PGA Head Professional Neil Reidy, Cobblestone Creek CC Head Superintendent Brent Wensel, Cobblestone Chief Operating Officer Cheol Kessler, as well as the hospitality of the Cobblestone Creek membership and staff – all of whom helped make the 2025 RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial a success.
The Rochester District Golf Association is led by Executive Director Tim Vangellow and is a proud Allied Golf Association of the USGA, serving Rochester area golfers since 1929.
